Add and Update Resource Template Fields

You can define both Description and Item fields for your resource records. Specify the type of data to be entered, and indicate the level of importance of each field.

Important: Because resource templates are shared across the district, it is important to limit the number of users that can add or update them. The Textbooks template has several options and rules that do not apply to other templates. Textbook templates cannot be deleted, moved, or duplicated. If you have the Complete Edition, you can create child templates, duplicate child templates, and move child templates within the Textbooks branch.

To add or edit Item fields:

1. Select Catalog > Add Resource > Edit Templates sub-tab.
2. Select Add (c), Edit (), or Duplicate ().
3. In the General Resource Description Fields or Item-Specific Fields section, click Add Field or next to a field.
4. Enter a unique Field Name.

   Note: Each field name within a template must be unique, including the fields passed down from higher-level templates. This also means you cannot add an Item field that has the same name as a Description field.

5. Select the appropriate data type.
6. Set the importance of the information as Optional or Required from the Importance drop-down.
7. Click OK.
8. Click Save.

Note: Because they are heavily used by Resource Manager's reporting functionality, you cannot change the Field Name or Data Type for any fields added by the System.

Data Types

The Data Type option lets you specify exactly what type of information should be entered into a particular field when users add or edit resource records.

• Currency: Used for capturing monetary values. The format of the field will conform to the Currency Format that has been selected for your district.
• Date: Used for capturing dates. The format of the field will conform to the Date Format that has been selected for your district: mm/dd/yyyy or dd/mm/yyyy.
• Drop-down List: Used when you want to ensure that information for a particular field is entered consistently. When this option is selected, you also need to choose or define a custom drop-down list for the field to appear. Each option in the drop-down can contain a maximum of 50 characters.
• Memo: Used when the field needs to be able to accept lengthy text or combinations of text and numbers. This field can accept a maximum of 1,000 characters.
• Number: Used when you want to capture values that might be used for calculations. Number fields can accept up to 15 positive whole numbers (no negative values or decimals).
• Text: Used when the field needs to be able to accept both text and numbers, as well as numbers that will not require calculations, such as phone numbers. This field can accept a maximum of 50 characters.
• Year: Used when you need to capture the year. This field accepts four characters.
• Yes/No Checkbox: Used when there is a simple yes/no question that needs to be answered about a particular type of resource. By default, the checkbox is not selected for new resource records (which means No).

Note: Once you start adding resource records to the system, changing the Data Type can have serious repercussions, unless the data types are compatible. For example, almost any data type can be converted to the Text, Drop-down list, or Memo data types without any data loss; however, switching from Memo (1,000 characters max.) to Text (50 characters max.) is likely to result in some data truncation. On the other hand, any data entered in a field that is currently defined as a Yes/No Checkbox will be lost if the field is converted to a Date.

Importance

The Importance drop-down dictates whether fields are Required or Optional when adding or editing resources and items. If a field is Required, users must add an appropriate value in the field to save a record.

An exception to this rule is Yes/No checkbox Data Type fields, because 'no' is indicated when the checkbox is not selected. Additionally, all required fields are listed at the top of the add and edit resource description and items pages.